As college students, busy schedules are the norm, but Audrey Livingston brings a new meaning to that lifestyle. On top of classes and an internship, Livingston spends a huge chunk of her days at FSU Childcare taking care of very young children. The work doesn’t stop when the school year stops. Over the summer, she works at Camp Walden in New York. Her passion for working with children carries over into her college education as she pursues a degree in Family and Child Sciences with the hope to find a career in childcare.
Her Campus (HC): What inspired your love for working with kids? How did you choose this career path?
Audrey Livingston (AL): I grew up with two younger siblings that I helped take care of. In doing this, I gained my passion for caring for others. I have always loved kids. It took some ups and downs in college classes to see a clear career path, but FCS (Family and Child Sciences) ended up being a perfect fit for me. This major allows me to work with infant, toddler and preschool kids as a career. I cannot wait to use the things I have learned to be the best caregiver I can be for the kids I will work with.
HC: What are your responsibilities at camp?
AL: My day-to-day job at camp is acting as a lifeguard and swim instructor. I practically live at the lake. If you don’t see me in a bathing suit, it’s a miracle. At the same time, I am also a counselor for a group of kids. Once I am done for the day at the lake, I go back to my girls and spend time with them. I live with up to twelve girls that range from seven to sixteen.
HC: What is your favorite part about camp?
AL: The priceless faces that the kids make when they are having the time of their lives, when they do something for the first time or when they are just having fun with friends. I love sitting back sometimes and just watching the kids enjoy camp.
HC: What are your responsibilities at the daycare?
AL: I work in the room with kids that are six weeks to six months. I help to feed and change kids, put them to sleep for naptime and play with them. The main thing with working with kids at that age is learning to keep up with all of their schedules.
HC: What is your favorite part about working at the daycare?
AL: Seeing kids grow and go through developmental milestones. I love getting to witness kids crawling, walking and talking and getting to see kids that I took care of in the infant room grow into extremely smart and cute toddlers.
HC: What is the hardest part about working with kids?
AL: The hardest part is not revealing to them when you are upset in any way. This is not too much of a problem with my infants, but this plays a huge role when I am at camp. When living with kids 24/7, they see you at your best and your worst so you have to put on a brave face at all times.
HC: What makes your job so rewarding?
AL: With my infants, what makes it so rewarding is when they start to recognize you and smile and reach for you every time they see you. When it comes to camp, I love that time in the summer when you get to see those kids for the first time in a year.
Audrey plans to graduate this coming fall, 2019, and continue down the childcare path.